ONE Arsenal player was, shall we say, economical with the truth after his side's 3-0 Carling Cup win over Reading on Tuesday.

Asked by a Royals star if the pair could swap shirts at the end of the game, the player said no because they had been told the redcurrant shirts were limited edition for the Gunners' centenary season.

A quick call to Arsenal's press office, however, was referred to their kit man, Vic Akers, who revealed it wasn't the case. Still at Highbury and plans are afoot to lift the atmosphere in their farewell season there.

Before games, the PA announcer will now say Arsenal players' first names and the crowd, in unison, will shout their surnames.

It was tried out on Tuesday, and one Gooner told Confidential: "It was a bit cheesy but it seemed to work well, although some people struggled with a couple of the foreign surnames."